Silicone Mold Shrinkage: What to Expect & How to Compensate
Silicone mold shrinkage is the gap between the cavity you cut and the part you get, and it is the most common reason a first article fails a dimensional check. The percentage is small — typically 1.5% to 3% — but on a 150 mm enclosure that is up to 4.5 mm of missing part, which is the difference between a snap fit and a rattle. This guide covers what the number actually is, why LSR and HTV do not share it, how to measure your own compound instead of trusting a data sheet, and how to build the silicone mold shrinkage allowance into the tool before steel is cut. […]